Abstract

In the leaves of Cannabis sativa L. were found the following carotenoid pigments: β-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, violaxanthin, neoxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin. The ratio between the content of β-carotene and lutein - which are the principal foliar carotenoids - was supraunitary, a feature that might be used as a chemotaxonomic criterion. It is worth to be mentioned the relatively high content of zeaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin in comparison with the level of these pigments in the leaves of most higher plants. The ratio between the content of chlorophyll a and b was of 2,17.

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